The City’s Business Hub is hitting the ground running this year with a series of free supplier development programmes aimed at aspiring and existing small enterprises and entrepreneurs.
The sessions – which start on 28 January – will cover a variety of topics, from social media marketing strategies to step-by-step guidance on how to do business with the City. Most of the programmes will take place virtually, meaning that business owners will be able to access it wherever they are.
Since its inception in August 2019, the hub has assisted more than 5000 SMMEs or aspiring entrepreneurs.
‘Cape Town’s small businesses are a lifeline of employment, innovation and our economy. By supporting them with platforms to help them maintain and grow operations, we are fostering an economically sustainable environment,’ said Alderman James Vos, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
In March last year, it launched a mobile helpdesk to go directly into communities and assist enterprises where they are based.
Thus far, the team has gone on the road to assist clients in Delft, Mitchells Plain, Bellville, Athlone and Strand.
‘With the ability to take our service on the road, the City can support business leaders where they are based, meaning they do not spend time or money coming to us,’ said Alderman Vos.
This year, the mobile helpdesk is due to go out to Philippi, Durbanville and other areas across the metro.
One of the business owners who used the hub’s services is Glynn Mashonga, whose security solutions business had issues getting off the ground due to a lack of funding. Mashonga attended one of the City’s Smart Supplier Programmes where she was trained on pitching to clients. The training helped her to land more and bigger local and international clients, and to eventually grow her workforce.
‘Having been there since the opening of the hub and witnessing how SMMEs are supported with knowledge that has genuinely helped them to scale up has been enriching. Our communities and economy are dependent on the continuous development of SMMEs and, through platforms such as The Business Hub, we can foster economic re-growth and job opportunities,’ said Alderman Vos.
Source: City Of Cape Town